Facebook will allow some users to have multiple profiles as part of a test, the company announced today, signaling a significant shift as Meta seeks new ways to keep users on the platform in the face of increased competition from rivals.
Some Facebook users will be able to create up to four additional profiles linked to their original account as part of the test. The idea is that additional profiles can be created for various purposes, such as one for friends, one for coworkers, and another for interacting with interest groups and influencers. Users will retain one account but will be able to switch between profiles with a few clicks.
According to Facebook spokesperson Leonard Lam, profiles will be subject to Facebook’s policies, and violations on one profile will affect the account as a whole.
“We’re testing a way for people to have multiple profiles linked to a single Facebook account to help them tailor their experience based on interests and relationships.” “Anyone who uses Facebook must continue to abide by our policies,” Lam says.
Users who create additional profiles will not be required to use their real identity for their display name, according to Lam, as long as the stand-in does not violate the platform’s policies and does not include numbers or special characters. For years, Facebook’s rule requiring account holders to use the name they use in real life has been a source of contention, even prompting legal action in Germany.
Facebook’s move away from a single profile comes as the platform battles to retain users, particularly young people, as existential threats such as TikTok grow. In the fourth quarter of 2021, the company lost daily users for the first time in its history.
